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“We had breeds like Simmental and
Maine-Anjou,” Linda said. “They were
brought over to give hybrid vigour to the
Hereford and Black Angus.”
Ed decided to put this breeding on
the back burner, and make his dream
of good beer a reality. Leverkus helped
him “import” a German brewmaster
named Bernd Pieper, and brewing
began in 1985. Staying true to German
tradition (hence the now-ubiquitous
Big Rock Traditional Ale), all the beers
were pure malt, unpasteurized and
preservative-free.
As for the brewery’s name, it came
straight from the field.
“On his farm near Okotoks, there
was this big rock—a huge rock—on it,”
Nordstrom recalled. “And I remember
him saying if he ever got this brewery
going it was going to be Big Rock
Breweries.
“He had a lot of things figured out,
old Ed.”
The last time Nordstrom had the
pleasure of seeing Ed was a few years
ago at the Western Barley Growers
Association annual convention, where
Nordstrom presented him with a lifetime
appreciation award.
“We apologized to him for laughing
at him back in 1984 when he told us he
was going to start the brewery,” said
Nordstrom. “And he had that twinkle in
his eye again.
“We called him elderly back then, but
he was just getting started.”
The late Ed McNally stands as a shining
example of decency, hope and charity
for Albertans. In 2005, when he was
inducted into the Order of Canada, he
was described as “an inspiration to other
freethinking entrepreneurs.”
By his family, he is remembered fondly
for his kindness and his lovely singing
voice.
“He really had curiosity, a lot of energy,
and he loved challenges,” Linda said.
“Life was really very interesting to him,
and he really didn’t see any reason why
he couldn’t achieve anything he desired.
He always saw how things could be
better.”
Winter
2015
24
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